Like A Lonely Swallow
by inashosetai
Summary: My name is Inuyasha. I am a demon prince with obligations. To a human, no less. It isn't considered an obligation then, right? Warning: gender-bender, including major OOC-ness. InuKag.


**Summary:** My name is Inuyasha. I am a demon prince with obligations. To a human, no less. It isn't considered an obligation then, right? Complement of The Powdered Snow Dances in the Wind. Warning: gender-bender, including major OOC-ness. InuKag.

**Disclaimer: **Rumiko Takahashi owns InuYasha. I own the plot. No plagiarizing.

**Warning:** This is rated M for several reasons. You have been warned.

**A/U:** I'd like to thank my younger sister for looking through a little more than half of my story and finding whatever mistakes she could. Lol. Hopefully she never reads the other half. XD

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**Like A Lonely Swallow**

The castle was in an uproar. Women were shouting orders all over the place. Wash those dishes. Start the banquet. Clean those rooms. Men were fixing the fields, rushing around the castle doing odd jobs, making a whole lot of racket themselves. All of this over one _girl_.

"Isn't the castle just full of life?"

I turned my gaze to Miroku, my advisor. My eyes glazed over as I watched a tick form on his face. He was desperately trying to keep my attention. I ignored him though, and turned back to look out the window at the running people.

The harvest season had reached its peak, and I hated it because Koga and Shippo were headed to some village to accept a gift meant for a treaty. There were already enough "gifts" in this castle. But this gift would be from a human village. One that was once protected by an ancient, extremely powerful priestess named Midoriko. That was the difference, and that was why there was so much commotion.

"Hurry up!" Sango barked from outside. "She could already be coming!"

My ears were bursting with all of the disorder inside the castle. I didn't need anymore from outside. I glared at the falling red and yellow leaves, trying to sway the headache that was clearly making its way to me. Seventy-three mating seasons and I still got headaches from this.

"We apologize for slowing you down, Lady Sango." Two women bowed to her.

"My, my, Inuyasha." Miroku was amused. "You actually seem—"

"Miroku!" Sango's shrill scream pierced through the window we were standing in front of. Miroku tensed as she stomped her way up to us. She slammed the window open, evilness seeping from her every pore. "What are you doing, you idiot? Can't you be serious for once?"

Miroku's plans had failed. I was sort of glad he couldn't talk my ears off anymore. At least not with Sango around, looking like she was going to murder someone. I tore my gaze away from them.

"Stop!" Sango's sharp cry rang in my ears as she pointed to someone out the doorway.

I was sure whoever was out there would die from Sango's glare. She was such a pain in the ass. I couldn't help but sigh because Sango not being a pain in the ass meant that Sango wasn't Sango at all.

"You can't do that!" she continued yelling.

I looked out the open doorway and saw a servant holding several sheets of blankets. I knew exactly where the servant was heading with those, and so did Sango. She looked like she couldn't believe that servant. What I couldn't figure out was why Sango was so peeved. I decided to ignore them all because they were all being idiots.

Miroku dragged me into my workroom, his staff clinking along the way. I made a rude sound when I saw huge stacks of paper. I never wanted this position. Forced onto the throne, labeled as the last survivor of my clan before I even turned ten. This was why I hated my life.

Old Man had been a great demon king. The best around. Mother was a beautiful princess who ended up with Old Man by pure luck. She died when I was only five, leaving me with Old Man and my half-brother, Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru was nine then. I didn't know the details, but shortly after Mother's death, Sesshomaru disappeared. Old Man had sent out demons to search for him, but that was the last I ever saw of him.

Then Old Man had to die a mysterious death, leaving me to fend for myself and the stupid throne. His body was never found. He had written in his will that the throne had to be passed onto me if anything happened to him. And of course, his loyal servants, Myoga and Totosai, did exactly what he said.

I sighed and threw myself into my paperwork. If there were anything out there that could take my mind off my depressing life, I'd jump right at it. Miroku stood at my side the entire time though, watching and helping me with my work. I knew I couldn't just leave the room without seriously offending him. Miroku took this paperwork stuff to the next bazillion levels. With the way he acted toward life, one would think offending him didn't matter. Miroku taking serious offense would've been the worst thing a person, human and demon alike, could've done.

I had a lot of respect for the guy, even though he was a pervert. Not to mention the fact that Miroku had been by my side since we were kids. He was such a stupid raccoon demon. It was too bad I'd gotten attached to these morons.

When nighttime rolled along, the stacks of paper looked like they hadn't even moved. I was going to keep stamping away when Miroku spoke up, "I think you should rest for the night, Inuyasha."

Did I forget to mention that Miroku could see bits and pieces of the future and use some sorcery? I gave him a look. He knew better than to try and hide his visions from me. At least the ones that would directly affect me.

Miroku sighed as though he was at a loss. "I just see a lot of blood."

I narrowed my gaze on a stack of paper. I already didn't like where this was going.

His staff jingled loudly, shaking in his grip. All demons within the castle grounds would hear his staff before long and figure out that he'd had another one. If he saw a lot of blood, then there was going to be a lot of blood. Miroku's visions never miscalculated. Not when it came to his staff.

Once, Miroku foresaw a nearby village covered in blood. He explained in detail where bodies were buried. Men, women, children, babies, unborn. His staff had shook so badly that he had nearly lost his grip on the thing.

I had set out after preparing with Sango's help. We'd reached the village only a day later, but Miroku's prediction had already come true. Miroku fell ill after that. He was bedridden for nearly twenty-five days. And not too soon after his recovery, we went up against the one who had destroyed the neutral demon village.

It was a bloodbath. So bad that even I had become sick in the stomach. Our victory had seemed more a loss than anything.

Miroku hesitated, staring thoughtfully at me. His indecisiveness made me not want to know what he'd seen. He looked tired as he spoke, "Human blood."

I clenched my fists under the table. My knuckles popped. Sure I could handle the entire place being drenched in demon blood, but I couldn't exactly keep from feeling a little sick to the stomach. Human blood, I couldn't handle. Not in huge amounts. My mother's blood was enough to last me my lifetime. "The girl?"

"No," Miroku's voice was sharp. He paced the room, placing a hand under his chin. Miroku's visions only explored the most tormented subjects once his staff came into the picture. Forty-nine hot seasons with Miroku receiving visions from his staff taught me to be wary of it. The amount of people affected in Miroku's visions varied. He couldn't tell who the affected would be. His visions only had the important people distinctly there, unless it was an entire group of people together like that wiped out village.

He stopped pacing as his eyes clouded over. I could only sit and wait until he finished.

I sat up straighter in my chair, taking note of his tightening hand around his staff. I could nearly see him shaking if I looked close enough. "What did you see?"

He turned his back on me, took a couple steps. Then he turned back and looked me in the eye. "This is bad, Inuyasha. The guy had long hair. Black hair. Someone was tampering with my vision. I felt it. Everything I was supposed to see was wiped away like a clean sheet of paper."

"What guy?" I was starting to feel the beginnings of frustration because Miroku was fretting.

He paced the room again, running a hand through his hair. He chewed on his lips, a worried look distorting his image. "The human was a man, Inuyasha. He had long black hair. The event will take place in the castle grounds, but I'm not sure if it'll be inside the castle itself, or on the castle grounds. But that man was the source of the blood. What if it was...?"

He gave me a pointed look, and I turned my gaze away from him. "Did you see the moon?"

"New."

His vision had too many possibilities. There was only one person who could be in that vision on a night like that. I felt like punching a wall. Sango, my war tactician, was bound to come up with ways to prevent the vision.

But nobody could interfere with Miroku's staff.

"Shit." I kicked the table.

Miroku sighed, shaking his head at me. What did I care? Stupid table. "Stop worrying and go get some sleep, Inuyasha. I have a feeling Koga and Shippo will arrive tomorrow."

"I could say the same thing for you." I grumbled irritably as I left for my bedroom. When I tried to get some shuteye, I was more awake than before. I didn't know how long I laid there, staring up at the ceiling and waiting for sleep to kill my consciousness. I became rather bored after a while though since there was nothing to do. I didn't exactly want to move around much either 'cause I was feeling mighty comfortable on my spot.

Suddenly, I had the image of finishing up those sad stacks of paper in my workroom. Just thinking about it had my eyes drooping. I must've fallen asleep because the world was suddenly pitch black.

There was a full moon in the sky, but that was it. Everything else was an everlasting darkness. I squinted, trying to see if I could find anything. It was strange 'cause I swore I saw a shadow moving through the dark. There was a black blob coming closer to me.

Funny. How does someone explain seeing something dark move in black places?

A white glow encased the blob. It looked more like a person now. I could only see the person's outline though. But as the person came nearer, the person's features became a little more visible. The darkness was still covering the person up, despite the glow around the person. I had a feeling it was a woman. I doubted my own judgment, which had the red flags beaming in my head.

There was something unmistakably wrong about her.

She came closer still. I froze as her features became defined. She had silky raven hair that reached her knees. It seemed to glow dark blue under the moonlight. Her hair was tied halfway at the back of her head, and there were loose strands falling down her face. Her skin was smooth, pale. Her lashes, dark and long. Her eyes were deep brown as she stared at me.

I could hear her footsteps now. They echoed in the area as her layers of kimono swished with her elegant movements. Her full lips parted as though to speak, but no sound came from her mouth. She stopped in front of me, watching me curiously.

I was captivated. I lifted my arm halfway to her, but paused. A chill crawled down my spine as her presence became stranger, unusual. I retracted my arm, glaring at her.

Her very existence was deceiving.

She gave me a regretful look.

Flinching, I opened my eyes to find Miroku grinning down at me. I didn't know how long I'd slept, but my eyes felt like they could fall out at any moment. I didn't want to deal with Miroku's crap. If he had to wake me up, he probably had something important to say. I just wasn't very willing to listen.

Miroku chuckled. "Get up. She's almost here."

I heaved a sigh, picking myself up off my bed. I wanted to throttle Miroku for waking me up for that girl. He left my room, and I went to the connected room. I cleaned myself up and dressed in my everyday outfit before leaving my bedroom. I knew the castle like the back of my hand. The nooks and crannies that most people missed, the secret pathways that only my dead family and I knew. If there were something misplaced, I'd know what it was right away.

I took the quickest route to the entrance. I didn't want to meet this girl though.

Koga's voice drifted to my ears, "We're here, sleepyhead."

Who was that idiot wolf demon kidding? I would've knocked some of his teeth out just to get more sleep. Rolling my eyes, I continued down the outside hallway, nearly at the front doors.

There were running feet, and by the smell of it, it was Shippo and the expected girl. A feeling of hostility grew within me. Troubled, I paused in my steps. I took several whiffs of the air, taking in the girl's scent. I couldn't help feeling that her scent smelled strange, like it didn't fit her. My fingers twitched as my heartbeat began to race. The sudden aggression rushing through my blood had me uneasy.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose as she came into view.

I'd seen her. In my dream.

Shippo threw her at me, her back colliding against my chest. I could faintly hear Shippo saying something, but I didn't care to listen. The girl's aura was irresistible. Fear poured thickly from her being. It washed over me in waves, leaving me stumped as I was drawn into her presence without my consent. The red flags rose in my head.

I hardened my gaze as I commanded her, "Your name."

She turned to look at me, and her glowing eyes made me feel worshiped as she spoke with a fine edge to her voice, "My name is Kagome Higurashi."

I left without another word. She had an exotic energy wrapped around her, flapping about, but always returning to her. My blood rushed from the feel, excitement charging through my veins, pricking at my skin. It was dangerous being close to that girl. I made it a point to stay as far away from her as possible.

One moon cycle passed, and the second was nearing its end. I started seeing the girl look at Kikyo disrespectfully. Kikyo hadn't done anything to the girl, so I didn't know why the girl was giving Kikyo those bitter looks.

Kikyo and I had a history together. She was just another gift from another village. We had our moments of understanding, but I never felt a connection with her. Not even one similar to Sango or Ayame, Koga or Miroku, Shippo or Kohaku. Nothing.

Although Kikyo may have been a pest most of the time, jumping on me in the hallways, stressing my name in her high pitch like I was a kid, she didn't deserve the looks she received. Every time I passed by the girl, Kagome, in the hallways, I pointedly glared at her. She was docile enough around me. But then again, I was demon prince. She needed to clean up her act, and she needed to clean it up fast. I wasn't going to tolerate having a human girl around giving cold eyes to Kikyo. If anything, the girl shouldn't even be here.

That didn't stop me from feeling the need to be around her though. Like I would've given everything just to be in her presence. The energy she gave off was addicting. I knew I was already growing possessive, obsessed. I just couldn't do anything about it. As though I would kill myself if I even so much as tried.

Soon enough, Kikyo confronted me about her dislike for the girl. The girl was driving Kikyo mad. But honestly, I sometimes couldn't bring myself to care because the girl was fascinating, had me standing on my toes.

Today, I watched the last of the snow drift from the sky as I sat in a high branch on my favorite tree. It was the second day it snowed. Here, I could ignore everything and just be. I was feeling pretty nice under the weak rays of sunlight. It was a good thing the other demons knew to steer away from this tree unless they wanted to face my wrath.

My ears twitched at the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow. Opening my eyes, I looked to my left and saw the human girl walking through the snow in her layers of kimono. I was caught off guard when she smiled and looked at the ground. She lowered herself to sit on the balls of her feet before grabbing a clump of snow and throwing it in the air.

Stunned, I watched as she laughed, the falling snow encasing her in a golden halo. It was...confusing. She was grinning as she sat and stretched her legs. Like nothing in the world mattered to her but the snow. I felt stupid watching her and the snow. As though the snow was an actual being.

I had a strong urge to go down there and sit with her. She gave off a peaceful air. Something I honestly hadn't felt in a long, long time.

She scooped up some more snow, raised her hand to her face, and then pounded on it with her other hand. Most of the snow hit her in the face, but she just laughed it off.

Jealousy reared its ugly green butt.

I watched her lay on the snow and place her hands beneath her head, smiling at the feeble sun. My ears twitched as I caught her words, "The powdered snow dances in the wind."

I scrunched up my nose, weirded out. What was that supposed to mean anyway?

She rolled to her front side, her forearms supporting her upper body. I tensed as I was hit with waves of dolefulness. I narrowed my eyes at her, wondering what made her feel like that. From what I knew, and I knew a lot more than people gave me credit for, the girl was being treated fairly well. Full meals, baths, a nice bedroom. I frowned. What else could she ask for?

As though she'd heard my thoughts, she spoke up, "No. No, of course you didn't know. But that doesn't make me feel any better."

Suddenly, I was wholly absorbed in the thought of the upcoming moon. How could I forget? I narrowed my eyes at the trees in front of me. I needed to see Sango. Quick. I couldn't believe I'd forgotten about it. Sango would've gouged my eyes out if she found out.

I jumped down from the high branch, landing softly in the snow. Anger bubbled from the pit of my stomach when I made for the castle. My ire rose as I caught the girl's scent. I stopped beside her and couldn't help but glare at her.

Her closed eyes opened halfway. She gave me a lazy look before closing her eyes again. Like she could care less about me. My temper was starting to rise, so I left her outside. Stupid woman. Just because she was a _human_.

Sighing, I shook my head, searching for some sort of calm. The bloody night wasn't too far away. I had to listen to the final plan. I didn't like how the situation was making me feel like a weak imbecile hiding behind others. But I wasn't stupid enough to get myself killed. I knew my own weaknesses like an open scroll. It was a good thing only a select few knew the one darkest, major aspect of my life. Others couldn't be trusted.

Not even Kikyo.

I entered my workroom, finding them all there already. I raked my eyes across the room to check again as Miroku sealed the room. Myoga, Totosai, Sango, Kohaku, Kirara, Shippo, Koga, Ayame. I turned my gaze to Sango.

"Ayame will be protected by the others in the medical wing," Sango spoke up. "With her fourth kid on the way, she'll only make things complicated."

Ayame made a sound of outrage, but she knew Sango was right. I was starting to get a queasy feeling in my stomach. It looked to me like Ayame might just give birth on that night. I didn't even want to think about it.

Sango continued, "I hate to admit it, but Koga, you're currently the strongest one in here besides Inuyasha. You have to be there at the front. No excuses."

Koga frowned, but nodded. We might not like each other very much, but we held respect for one another. He was a loyal ally, despite his obnoxiousness. I knew he'd rather be by Ayame's side though. It was reasonable since the unborn kid was his.

Sango turned her gaze on Shippo and Kohaku. "You two are the youngest out of all of us. You'll both be right next to Inuyasha in the center of the room. Kohaku, watch the front door. Shippo, watch the window."

My head suddenly felt dizzy as Sango looked at the remaining people. "Myoga, be ready to gather them for war if it comes to that. Get to the closest ones first. Totosai, you will be with Miroku in the other room, and you both should already know to be careful about the water. Kirara and I will be with Inuyasha as well. She will take her position in front of the other room's door in case Miroku and Totosai's defenses are broken. I'll take the window. If they break through Koga's line of defense, make a run for it, Myoga."

Sango sighed, turning my way. Her eyes were blazing. "You have to be careful, Inuyasha. We will find you."

Her unspoken words were there.

If I got caught. If I was taken away. Tortured. Maybe even murdered.

I turned to look at a wall. I didn't need her to tell me that. It made me look even weaker. I just had to accept that I probably wouldn't make it out alive. They'd have to accept that reality too, once it took place.

Nobody could interfere with Miroku's staff.

I ignored them as they spoke about smaller details. Looking out the window, I watched the sun dip into the horizon. I had the thought that I should do things I normally wouldn't have done. An image of that girl came to mind.

Kagome Higurashi.

All opinions aside, she was a mysterious person. She was able to get along with everybody except for Kikyo and myself. She made herself discreet, only answered when spoken to, often looked lonely, even though she laughed a lot, and more than anything, she was always jittery. Afraid. Of what? I couldn't help frowning.

Maybe her problems were as serious as mine. Maybe even bigger than mine. I'd never given much thought to it before. Was it because I had been so focused on the way she acted toward Kikyo? That was the only possible conclusion.

When they finished planning out their details, Miroku put the barrier down and I left for my room. I skipped dinner, settling in for the night. Tomorrow, I would confront Kagome, so I needed my energy 'cause I was starting to feel uneasy about this confrontation. I was undoubtedly attracted to her, the stupid woman. She still seemed like an awkward person. I just couldn't help but think she looked weird. It made me wonder if anybody else thought that too.

By the time I pulled myself out of my sleep, I realized I'd overslept. I didn't know why. It probably had something to do with the plan we spoke about yesterday. There was an odd, metallic taste in my mouth. Ugh. Don't tell me I bit my tongue in my sleep.

I went to the nearest water source. The other room. I rinsed my mouth out, glad the outrageous taste was gone. Normally, the metallic taste wouldn't have left my mouth, even if I did rinse my mouth several times. It was this _thing_ that did the job. I had to thank Old Man for building this useful thing for me. Except for the other piece of information he flippantly wrote about in one of his scrolls.

The real reason why this thing was built in the first place. What it was used for.

I shuddered, flabbergasted. I left the room quickly. There was no way I was returning to that room today. I would just have to use a different one.

Grabbing some extra washcloths, I left my bedroom and wandered the halls. It was rare for me to bathe elsewhere. Strangely enough, there was the women's bathroom, and then the men's, and then another one specifically for me. I found it funny for two bathrooms to exist just for my use. Whoever thought up that idea must've been drunk when they were thinking it up.

"Really?"

I stopped in the hallway, turning back to look around the corner at the gossiping women.

"Yeah, I saw the prince enter that human's room last night."

Bullshit.

I narrowed my eyes, leaving for the bathroom. Now my mood was spoiled rotten. Keh. As if I'd just randomly saunter into a beautiful woman's bedroom.

Entering the bathroom, I locked the door. Just because the room was mine alone and nobody else would dare use it didn't mean that I would actually invite people in by leaving the door unlocked. I wasn't shy about my body, but hell if I weren't uncomfortable letting people stare at my nakedness.

I shivered at the thought.

Perverts.

I turned the corner and almost jumped out of my skin when I saw Kagome. Didn't people tell her that this room was restricted? I gave her a pointed look before I realized she was undressing. I gawked at her, my face burning. My fingers were twitching as I stood there, embarrassed but unable to turn around and run like the wind. I wanted to kick myself.

She was down to her final kimono when she lowered herself to her knees. She opened her kimono until only her shoulders were exposed. Then she pulled her long, silky hair to one side and held it there, bending over the water to look at her reflection.

As much as I wanted to flee from the room, I was curious. It didn't look like she was going to bathe herself any time soon, so I continued to watch her backside. My muscles grew taut when I realized what she was looking at.

There were two, very visible holes connected with a bloody, curved line at the junction of her neck.

She was marked.

I suddenly felt violent. I narrowed my eyes, making a beeline for the door. I couldn't stand to be in her presence anymore. Not with that mark on her neck. Not when I knew she was off limits.

I threw myself into my work. So that I couldn't be bothered with her. I attended all of my meetings on time. There was no room for me to be slacking anymore. It would only make me think about what I didn't want to.

Treaties here, treaties there. The days wore me down, but I persisted. Humans only cared about their own safety. Too many fears in their hearts. Mother was the only exception. Only her. Treaties in the past between humans and demons were impossible. Unthinkable. Until Old Man broke that cycle.

Tonight, I made myself comfortable in the middle of my room. I tensed, my body pulsing. Tingles ran through my limbs. My mouth ached as my fangs grew smaller. My head pounded as my ears transformed. My fingers shook as my claws receded. I shuddered as an aching feeling shot through my body. I forced myself to sit up straighter and look at Kohaku's back.

Koga stood on the other side of the door Kohaku was watching. Luckily, Ayame wouldn't be due until tomorrow. With Koga's fourth kid on the way, I was starting to hope nothing would try to come through the door he was protecting. If he ended up dying for my safety, I'd never live it down.

Shippo was standing guard behind me, watching the window that Sango was positioned at. It was the only window in my room. Unfortunately, my room was on the first floor as well. That gave my enemy a better shot at getting in here. My enemy was mine and mine alone. Sango and the others were voluntarily throwing their lives on the line for me. But no matter what they did, Miroku's vision would come true.

Because nothing could stop his staff.

Kirara was in her original form, watching the door to the other room where Miroku and Totosai were in. The other room had many windows, so if the enemy tried to break in through there, he or she had a greater chance of getting in. The windows were necessary though, so there was nothing we could've done about that. And there was also that huge obstacle in the room that Miroku and Totosai had to be careful about. It would be real bad if either one of them accidentally fell in it.

I sighed, looking down at Myoga, who sat on my shoulder. If any of the doors were breached, Myoga would have to call the demons for war. Everybody listened to Myoga when it came to war. He was the safest demon to be around, so when he made a run for it, that meant that danger wasn't too far behind. The castle would be in a mess if it came to that.

I clenched my fists as I felt Miroku's barrier fall over the room.

Everything was set.

The night of the new moon had come. I was now _human_.

We just had to wait and see when Miroku's vision would take place. The castle was disturbingly quiet. One small movement had everybody reacting. The atmosphere was intense. My grip on Tessaiga only tightened as the night drew on and nothing happened. A foreboding feeling was starting to settle in my stomach. Like something had gone terribly wrong with Sango's plan.

Miroku's visions were never too far off, time-wise.

I was startled when the sun began to rise and still, nothing had happened. I felt my demon blood rush through my body, washing away the strain in my muscles. I shuddered, sighing when I felt my strength return.

Both doors opened, Koga, Miroku, and Totosai entering my room with caution. I would've been surprised if anyone looked remotely calm.

I turned my gaze to Miroku, and he shook his head at me, his eyes weary from concentrating too much. I could practically feel his pounding head as if it were my own. He spoke unsteadily, "My staff isn't saying anything. It was supposed to happen last night though."

A bad feeling swept over me. I tried to shake it off by shaking my head. Looking at everyone, I strengthened my resolve. "You guys take care of Ayame. I'll check by myself. There are a lot of things that need to be done around the castle. Keep your guards up."

I left them in a rush, sweeping the castle quickly. This was troubling me more than I liked. Miroku had said that the blood came from a man. A human man.

Kagome.

No. Kagome was a girl. She didn't fit the description except for her long black hair.

I flinched when I smelled it. The human blood. My skin crawled. Kagome and I were the only humans in the castle last night. Was Miroku's staff wrong?

That couldn't be. Miroku's staff was never wrong.

I covered my nose with my sleeve, the scent already getting to me. Because it could be Kagome's? Because that thought didn't sit well with me? I didn't know, but I was feeling sick in the stomach. Couldn't make myself move to save my life.

Kagome.

Turning in the direction of the smell, I was chilled to the bone. I moved toward it. Had to find out who the source was. It led me outside. And the scent hit me head on.

My legs were on the move, my spine tingling, my stomach curling. I thought my heart would stop as I ran, searching, searching. I nearly fell over myself when I stopped, catching sight of the blood.

It was bright red against the snow. Tons of it, blotting, staining the snow's purity. The snow covered the person from my view.

My chest was curling painfully as I took a step forward. And another. And another.

Before long, I was standing over a naked body with a face I'd recognize anywhere.

Kagome was a _guy_.

Bruises. Cuts. Long, silky raven hair.

My stomach crunched inward. My throat seemed to swell up as I made eye contact with his shining, honest eyes. Shivers rocked my body, and I wanted to cringe away from the image. Didn't want to believe that this man was Kagome as I trailed my gaze along his pale body.

All this time, we'd thought that it was me who was in Miroku's vision. Me who'd suffer on the one night I was at my weakest. We'd come up with plans to prevent it from happening. To protect me. So many plans that I had started getting headaches. But it had always been Kagome.

I wanted to hurl. Because Kagome was never a girl. Never had been. Never could be. Never would be.

My head was spinning. I'd let her deceive me without even knowing it. No, I'd let _him_ deceive me. He'd gotten under my skin, placed himself in half my thoughts, made me feel. And it was all suddenly sickening to me.

The lies.

What else had he hidden from me? What about his smiles? Were they all fake? Forced? Did he think I would never find out? That he could just continue lying to me and everybody else? My fists shook uncontrollably. Because even though everything was starting to piece itself together, my attraction to him was still strong. So powerful that it was overwhelming.

I jumped when his body convulsed, blood spurting from his mouth like a broken fountain. His mouth barely moved as he spoke, "Dad? Why are you here?"

He smiled at me, making my innards flip. Then he closed his eyes.

Panic shot through me. I bent down and dragged him up to my chest before dashing for the castle. Even in his sleep, blood was dripping down his chin.

"Sango!" I shouted, rushing through the hallways toward the medical wing. "Miroku, Kagome's bleeding to death!"

Everybody must've smelled his blood by now. When I reached the medical wing, I could clearly hear Ayame giving birth. I caught Miroku and the others' gazes, and they just gawked at me. Then the entire place was in an uproar.

I growled at them, "Fix him, dammit!"

Sango snapped to attention, dragging me to an empty bed. She yelled at me as she ran for some medical supplies, "Don't let him sleep. Wake him up."

"Shit." My heart was pounding as I looked over at Miroku. "Do something! Keep him alive."

"I can't do anything unless he's awake," Miroku yelled.

I gave a frustrated cry, hating everything.

"Shut up," Kagome's voice pierced through the commotion, paralyzing me and several others. "I'm trying to just die so the pain will go away. Is that so much to ask for?"

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I shouted at him. "You're not dying if I could help it. Now open your damn eyes, you idiot."

He slowly opened his eyes and glared at me. Surprise flashed across his face. Then confusion. "What are you doing?"

In my haste to put him on the bed, I jostled him.

He choked. And coughed. And coughed. And coughed. He was spitting blood on me as his hands clenched at my kimono. The blood kept flowing. My chest felt like it would explode. I thought I was going to go mad. Tears rolled from his eyes. And the blood just wouldn't stop as he gagged. I couldn't handle it. I was frozen to my spot, staring down at him, wishing everything would just stop.

"Don't die on me." I watched his dilating eyes. Remembered his faint laughter. "Don't die on me. Don't die on me, dammit. Don't die on me."

His back arched, a throaty gasp erupting from his mouth as he thrashed around, clawing at me. Trying to get away. His skin was turning blue. Even felt cold in my hands. I could hardly bring myself to breathe. Death hung heavy in the air. I couldn't tear my eyes away from him.

Miroku pulled him out of my grip and forced me out of the room.

I slid down a wall, falling. My hands were soaked in his blood. The stench was suffocating. I couldn't think straight as I sat there for a long, long time.

Was I too late? Was it my fault? He had to live. I'd do anything. Anything. If only he would live.

"I know who did it."

Startled, I looked over at Miroku, the shock from earlier still in my veins. Miroku looked frazzled. Dark rings were actually forming under his eyes.

"The veil is gone," he muttered. "I saw it."

"Who?"

"Kikyo."

I flinched. It never occurred to me until now. The bitter looks Kagome gave Kikyo. The way his attitude toward her seemed to deteriorate with time. The way his eyes kept clouding over.

He had sometimes walked through the halls with one arm in the other, jumping at the smallest sounds. His face always twitched when Koga or the others placed their hands on his shoulders or his back, but he only smiled like nothing was wrong. Like nothing had happened.

As though it didn't matter.

I clenched my fists, unsure if I wanted to hear Miroku's story. He spoke, hesitating, but intent on telling me anyway, "All you need to know is that he was tortured and raped."

Closing my eyes, I turned away from Miroku. My stomach didn't feel very well. I wished I hadn't heard him.

"Put her away." My voice sounded raw.

"I'll have Kohaku watch over him."

"No." I looked at the dry blood on my hands. "I'll take responsibility."

"Inuyasha..."

"I'm sure." I closed my eyes, feeling tired as Miroku left.

The next moment I opened my eyes, I found myself laying on a bed next to Kagome. It was only him and me. I realized, as I looked at myself, that someone must've tried to wipe as much blood off of me as possible. My skin and hair were clean, but my clothes were still caked in it.

Later, I had Kagome moved into my room. Sango gave me an analysis on his injuries. There were no broken bones. Only external wounds. That made it easier to take care of him.

I watched over him for a few days, keeping my window closed and locked, the shades letting little sunlight inside. My room was pretty much submerged in darkness, but I could clearly see everything.

And he finally opened his eyes.

He looked like he didn't know where he was. Like he wasn't even aware of who he was. That thought had me nervous. And then he was gripping my wrist so hard that I thought my wrist would break. His grip did loosen, but when I tried to pull away, it only tightened. I had the feeling he was completely aware that I was there, and at the same time, he had no clue I existed.

It was...troubling, to say the least.

His eyes closed, and he slept soundly, his hold on my wrist firm and unrelenting. I had a lot of time to gaze at his sleeping face. The only part of him that was untouched. Clean because his body had taken all of the beatings. Because his body could be hidden without question. Not his face.

Sighing, I trailed my gaze along his figure. He was rather skinny, but not in the bad sense. The cuts on his skin looked like they were going to scar. His bruises were becoming lighter, some turning green, others turning yellow. It made me cringe. I'd seen my own bruises enough times in the dark to know which color was which.

I continued to sit there as the day began to drag. There really was nothing I could do except watch Kagome. I didn't exactly feel sleepy either, but hell, if I continued to sit there and do nothing, I'd probably fall asleep myself.

My gaze fell on my nearby writing table, and I found myself staring at my old man's last scroll. Remembering the words that were written in there, my face heated up. Old Man was such a... Even though I was baffled, I was curious. And damn if that didn't hurt my pride a little. It was so embarrassing! How could Old Man even think that far? That was way too much prying into my life.

I frowned, grasping Kagome's wrist with my free hand. I had planned to rip his hand off my wrist, but was surprised when he just let go.

Confused, I placed his hand on my bed. I nearly jumped out of my skin when his hand snatched my wrist again. Like, what the hell? I grabbed his wrist again, planning to throw his hand in the other direction.

He let go of my wrist.

So that was how he wanted to play it, huh?

I looked up at his face, and was suddenly mystified. I remembered my first encounter with him. It was in my dream, the night before his arrival. Silky raven hair down to his knees, smooth pale skin, dark long lashes over deep brown eyes. His elegant movements, his curious gaze. It was no wonder why his aura had felt so wrong back then. I had thought he was a she. And that was the most misleading factor of it all.

I snapped my attention to his neck.

Where he had been bitten.

Confusion took hold of me again.

He was _bitten_.

Wouldn't that mean that there was another person in the castle who had known all along that he was never a girl? The mark on his neck had a dominating aura, one that only male demons were capable of giving off. My muscles tensed as I remembered words I'd heard a long time ago.

From the gossiping women.

I shivered at the sensation that ran up my arm. I couldn't have bitten him. I didn't recall doing such a thing. It would explain the metallic taste in my mouth that morning. A taste I had flippantly called my own.

Staring at the crescent-shaped mark, I felt my lips tingle. The impulse to bite him washed over me in strong waves, flushing down to the soles of my feet. I could feel my body heating up. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, on my back. My breaths came out unsteady as I struggled to keep away from his neck. I was already leaning over him, my lips nearly touching the mark. My stomach was twisting as my mouth opened. My fangs were placed over the mark, my lips tingling as they wrapped around his skin. Then my jaws clamped shut.

Kagome's throaty gasp filled the room, his body arching up into mine as I squashed the sound that made it halfway through my throat. I couldn't stop myself from sucking on his skin, running my tongue on it, crawling over and pressing my heated body up against his. His arms came up and wrapped around my shoulders, pulling me closer to him, even though I couldn't have possibly been any closer. I froze when his hips pressed up into mine.

The room was suddenly too hot. His hips shot up into mine again, and I ripped my lips from his neck.

What was I doing?

I tried to get away, but his arms prevented me from moving off of him. I snapped my head toward the door. It wasn't locked. And my skin was tingling all over the place. I could faintly feel his hands moving through my hair as I worried my bottom lip. If anybody came through that door right now, they'd get the wrong impression.

I at least knew, if anything, that the mark on his neck belonged to me.

Hot heat rippled through my body when his hands touched my ears. I tried pulling away again, but his hands only tightened around my ears, making me bite my lip and curl up over his form. My arousal twitched beneath my clothing, aching. I almost squeaked when his hands rubbed over the inside of my ears. My hypersensitive ears.

I bit into my mark, my ears twitching as breathy sighs and squeaks escaped his throat with the varying pressure I put into my jaws. The room was burning. It was too intense, his fingers still rubbing my ears. My eyes widened as he pushed his hips into mine again. I was breathing jerkily now, my heart racing as I forced myself to not move, stopped myself from pushing into his hips. If things weren't bad enough as they were, I was starting to feel the beginnings of his own arousal.

I had to get out of this. Fast.

He pressed his hips up against mine again, grinding against me.

"Shit."

What was wrong with this guy? He was friggin' unconscious!

I ripped myself from his body and made a dash for the door, quickly locking it. I was glad the window was closed and already locked, the shades keeping the outside world from looking in. If I even so much as opened the door or the window, the scent of our aroused states would billow out of this room like a tornado. Everybody nearby would know.

I crawled over to the corner away from my bed. That guy had just molested me in his sleep. Who the hell did that? Geez. Even I wasn't experienced, as much as I didn't like admitting it. I flinched when a knock came from the door.

Glaring at it, I hoped whoever was knocking ended up hurt.

"What?" I barked.

"Inuyasha..." Miroku chuckled nervously. Stupid raccoon. "Sango told me to come tell you that you should probably bathe him."

"What?"

"Um. Yeah. I'll just leave now."

I felt my cheek twitch when I heard Miroku making a mad dash out of here. I couldn't bathe that unconscious dude! He'd probably molest me again. I ruffled my hair as I heaved a frustrated sigh. What was the world coming to?

My movements slowed to a stop as I stared in wonder. Why had I marked the guy? I still had no recollection of doing it. It was strange because back then, I'd believed Kagome was a girl.

Shaking my head, I decided not to dwell on it. It would only further confuse me, and I didn't exactly take to confusing situations. Not to mention the fact that it was rather disturbing finding myself attracted to a guy. I knew though, for certain, that my attraction to him was now uncontrollable, no matter how much I pushed the thought away. He'd gotten under my skin without even trying to.

Resigned, I walked over to my bed and picked him up, mildly surprised he didn't grope me. It was time to put Old Man's thing to use. I frowned when I felt myself becoming thrilled. I had to close my eyes as guilt poured through my bloodstream. I was too attached to him. What I was going to do held no escape for Kagome. With my mark itself, Kagome could still break away, but once I enter it with him...

I couldn't let go.

Tightening my grip around Kagome, I entered the other room. It didn't matter if Kagome was a guy or a girl. As long as it was _Kagome_.

I'd never wanted anything as much as this in my life. My selfishness would be Kagome's undoing.

I stopped to stare at the mist. Old Man had built this room for me before I was even born. He'd thought too far into my life, his magic everlasting, even after death. It was this magic of his that would help me bind Kagome to me. I would not regret it.

Inside the room was a large hot spring with rocks sticking out of it. The spring was built with magical properties. Anybody who dared touch the water without my permission would be singed as though the water was boiling hot. But to me, and the one I chose, the water would heal the body, capable of keeping the body from scarring. It would chain the person's soul to mine forever, with or without his or her consent.

Making my way to the spring, I placed Kagome on the floor, undressing him. Since he was only wearing pants, it wasn't hard to remove his clothing. It was the bandages that got in the way. I decided to just cut them off with my claws.

I wanted to smack myself as I blushed. It was rather embarrassing looking at another guy's...err...

Stripping myself of my clothing, I picked him up and felt my face grow hotter. It was such a stupid thing to get flustered over. Then again, I'd never touched anybody as intimately before. It just proved how inexperienced I was with all of this. I was practically hurling myself into unknown territories.

The exotic energy Kagome unconsciously released was wrapping around me, intoxicating me as his natural, welcoming scent drifted to my nose. His long hair tickled my skin as I stepped into the warm water.

The water glowed bright green. My toes tingled as a powerful force pulsed through my body, lifting my hair. Shuddering, I waded further into the spring, pausing when I was waist-deep.

Slowly, I placed Kagome into the water, letting his chin rest on my shoulder as I held him up.

The water beamed.

I trembled as a pleasurable feeling swept over my body. I ran one hand down his backside, washing his wounds as the binding ritual began. It was a good thing Old Man didn't make the ritual so complicated.

I sighed as I made sure to wash his whole body. It was hard to navigate my fingers through his wet hair, and the cuts and bruises on his body weren't fading as quickly as I'd hoped they would. It was probably because he was sleeping.

When he was entirely soaked, I rested my chin on his slumped shoulder. There were only two last steps before I could tie his soul to mine forever.

I dipped his form into the water, pushing him under as I followed after. I placed my lips on his, aware that he wouldn't drown at this point. My chest was curling painfully as I pressed my lips harder onto his. I could feel our life force melding into one. My skin was prickling all over the place.

Then the glow faded, and I broke through the water's surface, holding Kagome tightly as my breath came out in harsh pants. I moved toward the edge of the spring, sloshing the water around. The energy seemed to have just been sucked out of me. I couldn't hold him up for very long. I was glad that I could lay him on the floor before I collapsed, struggling to catch my breath.

We hadn't been under the water for long, but it had felt like I'd been under there for days.

After that, I bathed him everyday. Every time we entered the water, it glowed, strengthening our bond before fading away. It was easier to bathe him after each bath, having memorized the contours of his body. Sometimes it was hard to keep my hands off of him, but I succeeded. Other times, I grew weary waiting for him to wake up. To complete the last step.

I didn't exactly know what happened later, but apparently, someone figured out that I'd "used" the spring and blabbed to the whole castle. Miroku, the infuriating demon, pulled me aside one day and started talking to me about how males _did it_. I wanted to tear my ears off because his descriptions were so detailed. It seemed in the past, that was quite common among men who went to war. That didn't mean I'd wanted to know all those things!

It was mortifying. Miroku, of all people to tell me.

My stomach felt queasy every time I thought about...that. Well, it wasn't like I'd given much thought to how a man and a woman did it either. I'd just never been interested in anyone. At least not to the point where I thought about them that way. The fact that I'd started dreaming about Kagome though... It made me blush like a fool. My dreams were too explicit. Sometimes too real. Bathing Kagome afterward was the hardest thing ever. Even touching his skin made mine heat up.

But my body adjusted quickly to this change. No matter how uneasy I felt about the images flashing through my mind, I started accepting them. I was always by Kagome's side anyway, so it wasn't hard to find the images appealing. He did look pretty...ravishing.

When Kagome finally opened his eyes, I wasn't exactly sure I was awake. I'd had way too many dreams about him. And of course, in my dreams, he was always awake. So I just stared at him, wondering if I were dreaming.

"What are you...?"

I snapped to attention. I knew I was awake this time. I was sort of surprised his voice wasn't as scratchy as I'd thought it would be. It had been rather hard trying to get food and water down his throat while he was unconscious.

"What are you doing in my room, Your Highness?"

That bothered me. I gave him a hard look. I didn't want him calling me that. "Just Inuyasha."

Like the monologue I'd practiced in my head, I rattled off what happened after I found him naked in the snow. His blackout, his delirium, the aftereffects, the strain on his body. I couldn't help narrowing my eyes.

Kikyo had touched him first.

It made my skin crawl as possessiveness rushed through my body. I pulled myself together and continued, "You wouldn't let go of my arm..."

That was an outright lie. He'd molested me! Molested me!

Damn if it wasn't hard trying to keep a straight face. I had to give myself a mental pat on the back because of how well I kept the blush from scorching my face.

I had Shippo bring up a healthy and fulfilling meal for Kagome. I had to force Kagome to eat slowly 'cause he would've hurled if he ate as quickly as he did. The only thing I was anxious about was showing him the spring. All of his wounds would disappear after today's bath. And I was feeling a powerful urge to _take him_ in the spring.

I had him follow me to the other room, and he looked startled. I sighed, explaining, "It's time to clean your wounds again."

That didn't come out right.

I caught the confused look on his face and spoke up before he could say anything, "Fourteen days is a long time without a bath."

Damn. That didn't come out right either. The confusion on his face only grew.

I rolled my eyes, irritated that I was tongue-tied. I decided to be blunt. "This won't be the first time I've seen you naked."

Kagome looked like he'd just seen a ghost. Was it because I'd seen him naked? I couldn't help feeling real peeved. I was going to make him think differently before he exited this room. And hopefully in a positive light too.

I sauntered over to him and started undressing him. His entire body was tensed. Like he was ready to make a run for it. But he just stood there as I cut off his bandages. I nudged his arm toward the spring, and waited as he took slow steps. He seemed lost in his own thoughts, so I just started prattling off some things about the spring. About its magic, about his wounds. I had no intention of telling him the real reason why it was built though. But we would complete the last soul-binding step together, and he would like it if it were the last thing I did.

He put his toes in the water, testing it out. Shivers visibly ran over his form as he stepped into the water, making his way deeper until his shoulders were nearly submerged. His long hair was surfacing, and I couldn't help my fascination with his hair.

My spine was tingling as I started undressing myself.

When I stepped into the water, it glowed bright green, making Kagome jump. I made my way to him as the light started disappearing. Reaching out for him, my fingers barely grazed his shoulder when he shot into my chest.

"What are you doing?" he asked nervously.

I felt like laughing at his nervousness. My skin shivered in excitement as I leaned over to breathe into his ear, "Cleaning your wounds. Watch."

I kept my eyes on his face as I trailed a finger over one of his shoulder wounds. Then I turned my gaze to the cut, and rubbed my finger over it a little more. It faded until his skin looked perfectly untouched.

"How did you...?" He sounded amazed. So impressed.

Smiling, I responded eagerly to his voice, "I dunno, really. Kinda figured it out when I first tried it out myself. It doesn't work if you try to do it though."

He tried it anyway. And when nothing happened, I almost felt smug. It gave me a reason to touch his body.

As perverse as that sounded, I could feel my body stirring, reacting to my train of thoughts.

He mumbled, "How strange."

I chuckled, feeling my heart race at the sound of his voice. It didn't matter if I had the advantage over him. I was just going to pay him back full force for harassing my ears. "I would've been surprised if you could do it."

Running my finger over another wound, I felt my body heat up as a slow hiss escaped his throat. His teeth were clenched, making me turn my gaze to my mark on his neck. I wouldn't mind clenching my own jaws on that certain area.

Trailing my fingers down his chest, I made sure my claws left tickling sensations on his skin. I couldn't help biting my lip when his breaths became unsteady. When his breaths would sometimes hitch. My hands were tingling just touching him like this, knowing he was completely awake and at my mercy. I felt powerful, having this influence over his body when he wasn't aware. The feeling ran down to the soles of my feet. I couldn't stop the smirk from forming on my lips as I ran my fingers over his stomach.

His stomach twitched.

I bit my lip harder as I tried to ignore that. An image flashed in my head. An image of me thrusting into his body, his legs flexing around my waist. My lower region started aching with the thought.

Turning my gaze on his wounds, I realized they were healing quicker. He'd been exposed to the water for a while now. By the time I get to his feet, there wouldn't be any wounds left.

I dragged my fingers down his thighs, and felt him startle. I could smell his arousal now. Even through this thin layer of mist. It made me excited. Too excited. I had to be extra careful in case I messed things up.

My member pulsed as small, encouraging noises escaped his throat. It was hard keeping my breath steady as I stroked his skin. It wasn't hard to imagine pushing roughly against him as he laid on a hard surface, his hips bucking up into mine as I thrust into him. Slammed into his entrance repeatedly as he cried out, huffing, wanting more, holding onto me as though he couldn't live without me.

My blood was rushing as I held myself together.

I dragged my claws around his thighs to his behind. It was unbearable, listening to his constricted moans and sighs. His silent pleas for more. My skin was burning as I breathed unsteadily, moving my hands up his back. I rubbed circles with my thumbs, relaxing his muscles as much as possible.

Without him knowing, I started pulling him toward one of the protruding rocks.

"Inuyasha..."

My stomach curled pleasantly at the want in his whisper. I liked how my name came out of his mouth. I breathed onto his neck, near my mark, "There are only your arms and legs left."

Sliding my fingers over his arms, I felt him shiver. I wouldn't mind sliding myself into him. Into his thick heat. Thrusting as he pushed down on me. Listening to his gasps as he clenched around me, telling me to push harder.

My lips were too close to my mark. I had to move myself before I touched him. Before I could bite him, suck on his skin. It would ruin everything.

I placed myself in front of him and lowered myself to my knees, massaging the area around his knees. There weren't any injuries left, so I decided to stand.

Kagome jerked back, landing on the rock I'd placed him in front of.

Leaning over him, I put my hands on the rock, trapping him. There were a lot of things I wanted to say to him, but that could wait for another time. I brought my mouth to my mark, feeling my lips tingle with the thought of touching him there again. The fact that I could practically feel his excitement smashing through me had me clenching my fists.

I bit him hard.

I tensed as he arched up against my chest, his nipples brushing harshly against mine as he seized hold of the rock behind him. I couldn't stop myself as my hips bucked into his, tearing a cry from his mouth.

I pushed into his hips again, slowly, tightening my jaws on his neck as pleasure soared through my body. I hadn't felt like this since he'd molested me in his sleep. It was irresistible. I ground my hips into his, thrust up against his manhood. Over and over as my breaths came out short.

Releasing his neck, I pressed my lips onto his. A surprised sound escaped my throat as he pulled my head down. As though he'd longed for this moment. My hips roughly jerked into his, tearing a squeak from him.

My tongue entered his mouth, running over his teeth. I caressed his tongue, and shuddered at the tickling sensation. My body felt like it was on fire as I continued to roll my hips against his, pressed myself into him. Absorbed the heat radiating from his body. It was all I could do, feeling myself ache down there, feeling myself want him so badly.

If anything, I was growing harder as I listened to his strangled moans, his breaths huffing as he mewed. I kissed him passionately, sliding my tongue around his mouth. My stomach churned as he lightly dug his nails into my back.

Breaking the kiss, I trailed my lips down his neck, leaving sloppy kisses as I went for my mark. Then I sucked on the mark, and couldn't stop myself from sucking harder, wanting more. I heard his cries of pleasure as I continued to rock against him, bucking into him. His moans were loud in my ears, but would never make it out of the room.

I picked his legs up and wrapped them around my hips, still rolling my manhood against his, still sucking on my mark as I trailed my hands up his chest to circle his nipples, pulled at them.

He gave a strangled cry as he spilled his seed, tightening his arms around me, holding me as close as possible. I just continued to thrust against him, waiting. And it was unbearable. The pleasure that coursed through my body was nearly painful as I bit into him again, pinching his nipples. It was too hot in here, our bodies slicked with sweat.

I shuddered as I forced myself to stop thrusting, tearing a whine from his throat. I chuckled as I let go of his neck before licking the mark. My voice had a rough edge to it as I spoke, "Do you really want this?"

"Of course," he huffed, his breaths coming out in heavy pants. I watched his face as I placed the tip of my member against his entrance. His eyes began to widen. "What are you doing?"

I pushed into him, hissing at the heat the clasped around me.

He gasped and fisted his hands on my back.

I was struggling not to push into him as I trailed one hand down his side to his manhood. I stroked his member and clenched my teeth when his heat squeezed around me. I continued to slide into him slowly, too slow for my liking. I thought I would break if I continued any deeper. But then I was fully seated and standing still, waiting for a lengthy time. I kept stroking him, almost afraid to move my hips and lose control of myself.

The pain and pleasure was everlasting as I waited for his consent. My blood boiled at his demanding voice, "Inuyasha, move."

I pulled out of him until only the tip of my manhood was inside. Then I slammed up into him, pleasure clouding my senses as he threw his head back and bared his neck to me. I heard his choked gasp. I grunted when he squeezed my member. He muffled his moans as I thrust up into him, slowly, jerkily.

But his fingers brushed my ears, and I lost control.

I crushed him to the rock with my form and thrust into him. Swift and hard. Bucking into him. Soaring with the pleasure.

He grabbed onto my ears.

I couldn't stop as I bit into my mark, clenched my jaw around it, forced myself deeper into his entrance. Deeper, harder. His weak cries rang in my ears, wanting, needing as his body shook. He dropped his mouth on my head, breathing into my ear.

I gave a throaty growl, pressing myself closer to him, as though we could become one.

He placed his mouth on top of my ear, and I growled even louder, slamming into him. Listening to his cries of pleasure. Thrusting and thrusting. Blinding heat tore through my body as I continued to thrust deeply into his body. It was the only thing I could do. In and out, in and out.

My head was spinning from the pleasure as I felt his release. My muscles were aching from the exertion. But I couldn't bring myself to stop. I wanted it to last forever. Just him and me, pleasure rocking our bodies.

I gave a guttural growl as I spilled my seed inside of him, shuddering as I continued to push into him. Forcing all of my essence into him. Only him. Until he couldn't take anymore.

I slowed to a stop as I breathed harshly on his neck. Then I pulled myself out of him and helped his legs into the water. Tired as I was, I was satisfied, and damn if he weren't as well. "Guess we both need to get cleaned up now."

He only nodded at me, his eyes starting to droop. My chest swelled at the pleased look on his face.

I put him in the new room we'd set up for him fourteen days ago, closer to my room. Castle life for us both just continued on normally. Except for some things, like snatching kisses from him in hallways, or sneaking into his room durin the middle of the night. Not that I really did much sneaking around. It was more like me just stalking into his room and sometimes disturbing him from his sleep. It wasn't like he complained...much. At least not when things got rough and hot.

Kagome didn't seem real bothered by what had happened to him. It made me proud of him, which didn't make any sense at all. I still had the problem of telling him that I'd taken advantage of him. I wasn't exactly looking forward to that day. So I chose to just follow him around instead. In the shadows, of course. Besides, it was hard for me to forget that he'd nearly bled to death in my arms once.

The cold season was passing by, the mating season returning. Kagome and I sat and watched the fields a lot. But more often than not, I stared at his face. I liked watching him smile. His smiles were nice. And because of that, I was always much more motivated to finish my paperwork so that I could spend time with him.

It troubled me a lot though because I didn't know what to say to him about the hot spring, about how I'd chained him to me without his consent.

I sighed as I waited for him to come to our meeting place. I didn't have to wait long.

Turning to my right, I watched as he stumbled along the hallway. Was something wrong with him? I shook my head, clearing the thought. I'd told him to come here for one reason, and I was going to go through with it.

He yelped as he tripped over his own feet, slamming into me. Well, it was a good thing I could stand my ground. It would've been a nasty fall.

He pulled back and bowed. Hadn't even looked at me. "I'm sorry! I wasn't looking and—"

"You're apologizing for tripping over your own two feet?" I was amused. And irritated. He could've hurt himself if I weren't around to break his fall. Either way, days with him around were always interesting. I couldn't help but smirk as a tick formed on his face.

He frowned as he looked up at me. Then he scoffed and turned to his right, crossing his arms. "You're always making a jab at everything I do. What's with that?"

No. I couldn't bring myself to tell him. So I'll just ask for his consent.

He turned back to me, his eyes clouding over. "Is something wrong?"

I stared, sighing as I felt uneasy. I picked his chin up, giving him a small peck on the lips. When I felt him leaning forward, I pulled away. I focused on his surprised eyes.

"Will you stay with me?" I nearly trembled because of my high hopes for a positive answer. Bringing my hand up to his cheek, I held it, rubbed my thumb in circles. "For eternity, as my mate?"

He didn't respond for a long time. So long, in fact, that I thought he wouldn't answer at all. My chest was in turmoil. My stomach was twisting around. My hands were growing cold. But I wanted his answer too much. I couldn't make myself turn away, even if he rejected me.

Then he nodded at me. And that was all I needed.

I smiled at him, feeling my world shift onto the lighter side.

Snow drifted from the sky. I couldn't help turning to look at it.

"The powdered snow dances in the wind." I turned to Kagome. Chuckled at his wide gaze. "Like a lonely swallow...no more."

The wandering snow, Kagome. The lonely swallow, me. Brought together because of a treaty.

He smiled at me, for me. His smile was enchanting, and I couldn't have been happier. To belong to this male. This human. Kagome.


End file.
